Mold for casting chain



May 16, 1944. E. c. KLoss 2,348,979

MOLD FOR CASTING CHAIN Filecl July 22', 1942 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR E/mere K m May 16, 1944.

E. C. KLoss MOLD FOR CASTING CHAIN Filed July 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 16, 1944 MOLD FOR CASTING CHAIN Elmer C. Kloss, Sharon, Pa., assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 22, 1942, Serial No. 451,882

4 Claims.

the proper locations in the mold stack. Vertically arranged mold cavities are formed in the mold stack in such a manner that when the cavities are filled with metal, links are formed joining adjacent precast links so as to result in a continuous chain.

Chain has been made using sectional sand molds in which the mold cavity for the connecting link was divided so that one half was in each of the longitudinally adjacent mold cores. This arrangement required some means to align the mold cores accurately in a lateral direction so there would be no offset in the two halves of the connecting link. In the improved mold stack described herein the connecting links are each contained in a single set of mold cores. Each set is divided both vertically and horizontally so as to form quarter sections similar in form except that the cope cores have impressions which together form a pouring opening. A feature of my improved mold stack lies in the simplicity with which a plurality of shots of chain can be cast at one time. Two series of sets of cores can be assembled side by side, and when properly clamped together and provided with a head core for each of the laterally adjacent sets, can be rapidly and easily poured.

Another feature of the invention resides in the method of gating the cores so that they are poured from the top. This has resulted in a saving of metal and has eliminated cracks that occur at the junction of the gate and the casting when the cores are fed from the bottom.

My invention also embodies a novel method for securing the cores in assembled relation so that the sections will be accurately aligned for pouring. Other advantages of my invention will be pointed outin the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section of a mold stack embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the mold stack shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectionalview through the head L core, taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an end view of the mold stack. Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is an isometric view of a cope section In the drawings are shown a mold stack comprising two series of mold cores assembled in sets of four cores to a set. Each set comprises a pair of drag cores Ill and a pair of cope cores l I. The cores are baked sand of suflicient strength to withstand handling and pouring operations, but which can be readily broken up after the molds are poured. Each core I0 is formed with an impression I2 at each end thereof adapted to receive a portion of the bottom half of a precast link. Cores H are formed with similarly shaped impressions 9 which when cores l0 and H are assembled, house upper portions of the precast links. Each of cores Ill and II is also formed with a mold impression [3 of one-fourth of a connecting link which is the link that connects the two precast links held by each set of four cores. The longitudinal extent of the connecting link impressions is entirely within the confines of the core. The drag or lower cores Ill have recesses 14 in surfaces [5 that receive projections it (see Fig. 5) extending downwardly from surfaces I'! of upper cores ll. These interfitting projections and recesses position cores l0 and H in a horizontal direction. Moreover, each core is formed with a projection l8 and a recess l9 which serve to position the cores vertically and longitudinally. Each cope core H has an impression 20 extending from cavity l3 to the upper surface ll of the core. When two cope cores are assembled, impressions 20 form the pouring opening for the connecting link.

In assembling the mold stack, a row of drag cores II] is first laid end to end in pairs. Precast links are then placed in recesses or impressions l2. Cope cores II are next placed on top of the drag cores and if only a single shot of chain is desired, head cores are placed over openings 20 and the molds are ready to pour. Since it is usually desirable to pour more than one shot at a time, I have shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 a mold stack for two shots of chain. It will be observed that the cope and drag cores when assembled are narrower than the precast links so as to reduce to a minimum the amount of material used in making the cores. A spacer core 25 is therefore placed between the inner cope and drag cores so as to space the mold cores sufliciently to prevent interference between adjacent precast links; The

thickness of the spacer cores is at least twice the amount of the projection of a precast link beyond the side of the mold core. The spacer cores have slots 26 at each end into which the protruding portions of the precast links extend when core 25 is assembled in a mold stack. After the two rows of mold cores have been assembled with precast links and spacer cores in place, rigid plates 21 are placed against the outer surfaces of the mold cores and the mold stack in held together in a transverse direction by means of suitable clamps. A novel form of clamp is shown in the drawings and comprises a pair of members 28 each having an enlarged head 29 at one end thereof formed with an opening 35 adapted to receive a bar 3|. As members 28 are angled relative to the bar, opposite edges of openings 30 engage bar 3| and prevent movement of the members along th bar in one direction. The opposite end of each member 28 is formed with a seat 32 adapted to exert pressure against one of the plates 27. Wedges 33 are placed between seat 32 of one member and one of plates 21 of each set of molds to force the mold sections together.

The connecting links may be poured separately but it is preferable to use a head core 35 joining two pouring openings 20 as shown in the drawings. It will be observed that the two rows of mold cores are positioned so that the pouring openings 20 of laterally adjacent sections are opposite each other. The head cores 35 rest on upper surface 2| of the mold stack and each core 35 joins two adjacent pouring openings 20.

Feeder head cavities 31 are formed in each core 35, one above each of openings 20, and each pair of cavities 3'! is joined by a channel or runner 38. To simplify molding of core 35 it is made in two pieces, the lower wall of runner 38 being formed by an insert core 39 which is inserted in the main part of the core before the latter is placed on surface 2!. Metal is poured into the molds through an opening Ml in each core 35, the opening being positioned between the two cavities 31 and joining channel 38 with the upper surface of core 35. It will be observed that insert core 39 bridges spacer core and thus prevents metal from running into any gap that may be present between the under side of core and the upper surface of core 25. One size of spacer core 25 may be used for several sizes of mold cores used for difierent sizes of chain. Thus in some cases, for instance as illustrated in the embodiment shown in the drawings, a space 4! is left between the spacer core and core 35. Insert core 39 effectively prevents metal from running into such a space.

Before the molds are poured a pouring core 42 is placed on each head core 35 with opening 43 of the pouring core over opening 45 in a head core. The upper portion of opening 43 is flared as at 44 to facilitate pouring the metal from a ladle. The head cores are then sealed to the mold cores and the pouring cores sealed to the head cores by plastic material such as clay or cement which is spread at the juncture of these cores to prevent escape of metal when the molds are poured. Metal from the ladle runs through opening 43 in pouring core 42 into opening 40 of the head core whence it runs in both directions through runner 38 into cavities 31 and then through openings 20 to the mold cavities which form the connecting links. Pouring continues until cavities 31 are filled. The metal in these cavities feeds the shrinkage of the metal in the mold cavities, as the latter cools, and hence produces a sound casting in the mold.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a mold stack for casting chain, said mold stack being formed of a plurality of rows of sets of sectional molds, spacer cores maintaining said rows a predetermined distance apart, means for clamping the sections of each set together comprising rigid plates engaging the sets of molds on each side of said mold stack and extending longitudinally thereof, each of said plates extending over substantially an entire side of its respective set, clamping means comprising members positioned above said mold stack and separable arms extending downwardly from the ends of each of said members into engagement with opposite pairs of plates, and means insertable between one of said arms and one of said plates adapted to force the plates of each pair towards each other to hold the sections of each set in laterally assembled relation.

2. In combination with a mold for casting chain comprising a pair of similar cope cores and a pair of similar drag cores having impressions therein for receiving portions of precast links and mold impressions for a connecting link, a similar mold spaced laterally from said first named mold, said molds being narrower than said precast links, a spacer core between said molds for maintaining them a predetermined distance apart so as to prevent contact of adjacent precast links, means for clamping said molds and spacer cores together, said molds each having a pouring opening entering the top of said mold impression for the connecting link, and a head core bridging said molds and having a single pouring opening and channels connecting said last named pouring opening with the pouring openings of said molds whereby said molds can be poured simultaneously.

3. A mold stack for casting chain comprising a pair of spaced rows of mold cores, each row having said cores arranged end to end, each of said cores comprising a pair of cope sections and a pair of drag sections, each of said sections having a quarter mold impression of a connecting link, said sections also containing impressions for receiving precast links in interlinked relation with said connecting link impression, each row of mold cores being of lesser width than said precast links, spacer cores between said rows of mold cores to position the latter a predetermined distance apart to prevent contact of adjacent precast links, and clamping means for maintaining said cores in assembled relation.

4. A mold stack for casting chain comprising a pair of spaced rows of mold cores, each row having said cores arranged end to end, each of said cores comprising a pair of cope sections and a pair of drag sections, each of said sections having a quarter mold impression of a connecting link, said sections also containing impressionsfor receiving precast links in interlinked relation with said connecting link impression, each row of mold cores being of lesser width than said precast links, spacer cores between said rows of mold cores to position the latter a predetermined distance apart to prevent contact of adjacent precast links, each pair of said cope sections having a pouring opening in the top portion thereof and communicating with said connecting link impression, and head cores bridging laterally adjacent pairs of said cope sections, each of said head cores having a pouring opening communicating with said pouring openings in said cope sections.

I ELMER C. KLOSS. 

